A Year On
by SoraMoody
Summary: What if season 3 had ended so differently? Who's dead? Who's alive? Who's engaged? Who's visiting? Who's staying? Nothing is as it seems in Orange County anymore- a year away makes all the difference.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is my first OC fanfic, but I own all the dvd box sets so I hope it's accurate in case on settings blah blah. Don't own characters, just plot. Think of it as season 5... you know you wanted one.**

**Imagine if the end of series 3 had been so different? Who's dead? Who's alive?**

"_Ryan, pull over!" Marissa cried as Volchok rammed into Ryan's jeep again._

"_Where?" Ryan replied, struggling to keep control of the car. Marissa looked around in a panic, only to realise that there was no where to pull over- they were driving right on the edge of the hill. She knew Volchok didn't want to kill her... or so she hoped, but the state he was in- who knew what he'd do? _

_Oh my God, she thought, trying to figure out how they'd escape this alive. She was heading out of her old life finally, and she didn't want it to end with her death. This couldn't be happening! She felt like crying- but there wasn't time to panic or stress, she had to stay calm for Ryan's sake. It was her fault they were in this situation- her stupid fault, if she hadn't gone with Volchok and done what she's done after Jonny's death then he wouldn't be trying to kill them right now. Oh, God, if I lose Ryan..._

"_Hold on!" Ryan yelled. Before she even reacted she was thrown back as the car crashed over the edge of the road. Spinning. Flashes. Black._

_---_

Nothing had changed.

In the whole year she'd been gone for, nothing seemed to have changed. The mansion still looked as amazing as ever, it's huge curving stairway leading up to the two tall glass doors- she may as well have never left.

She pulled up the smooth driveway, making sure to park her father's convertible beneath the shade of the over hanging trees. She slipped off her large sunglasses and slipped them into her shoulder bag, and slipped it onto her shoulder. She sighed, and reminisced for a second of her travels, but right now she was back in Orange County... where she'd believed she'd belonged since she'd been born- but a year of travelling did loads to a girl, a lot more than giving her the tan she'd never dreamed of getting here.

"Welcome to the OC..." She muttered, slowly opening the car door and slipping out of the low seat. She straightened, adjusting her top and baggy trousers, not because they were supposed to look neat, but rather because that was what the old her would've done and now she did it just by habit, despite the fact she basically had lived in her sweats for the last year. How shocked would her friends, the people she'd grown up with, be when they saw her?

She smiled, she loved surprising people. She started towards the steps, a bounce in her step now she thought of how she didn't actually need to change to please them anymore. She was the new, improved, a lot more eco-friendly Summer Roberts.

"SUMMER!"

Summer was nearly knocked flying as she was grabbed in a huge hug.

"Can't... breath!" She struggled to mutter as the attacker backed off. Then it was her turn to scream.

"MARISSA!"

She squealed, grabbed her best friend in a similar manner in which she'd been attacked.

"Oh, my GOD! I can't believe it..." Summer screamed unable to contain her excitement.

"Oh, my God- I missed you so..." Marissa interrupted, eager to get across her own happiness.

"Oh, my God, your tan!"

"Oh my God, you look amazing!"

"Oh, my God-"

"Oh, my God, can we please go inside?" Kaitlin moaned from behind her older sister, not that there looked like there was much of an age gap anymore, Kaitlin already matched Marissa in the looks department and their height matched perfectly- they looked more like twins now instead of sisters.

Summer and Marissa looked at her blankly, and then almost feel about laughing. They were still heaving with laughter as they tripped up the steps, not even making it to the front doors before they just collapsed with giggles.

"Oh, God, you guys really need to work out," Kaitlin muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes and continuing on her way inside.

"Kaitlin, where's your sister?" Julie called from the kitchen. Kaitlin followed the sound of her mother's voice and pushed open the door, confronting her mother who was leaning against the counter as she flipped through the latest Vogue.

"Summer's just arrived," She stated, hopping onto the high stool beside her. Julie rolled her eyes, and continued to read.

"Well, there won't be any peace here for a while," She smiled.

"I know, they couldn't even make it to the door before the collapsed laughing..." Kaitlin moaned, pouring herself some cereal.

Julie chuckled, "Just wait till those two get gossiping, I thought they were bad when they both lived in the same place..." Julie died off knowingly.

Kaitlin just shook her head and reached for the milk.

"A year... and they could've called..."

"Oh, Kaitlin, Summer was travelling and Marissa was mostly on the sea... they didn't have much contact. And don't forget, Marissa was in a coma when Summer left, she probably didn't even know for ages that Marissa had even woken up..." Julie explained, closing the magazine and straightening her low cut, red top.

Kaitlin looked up and noticed her mother's outfit.

"Bit early for clubbing isn't it?" She stated, glancing at the digital clock that blinked 9:00.

"Bullet's invited me to some sort of dinner, but it's in New York so we're flying," Julie explained, not sounding very excited.

"Mum, I know you turned down his proposal... left him at the alter and everything, but aren't you sending out the wrong message- Hang on, when are you leaving?"

"This morning, he's sent a car for me at 10," Julie explained, knowing what was coming.

"And when are you back?" Kaitlin asked, her voice low.

"Well... you may be babysitting..."

"MUM! You can't leave me with those two and Jack for a week!" Kaitlin complained, referring to her little half brother, the son of Ryan's father. Every other fortnight he spend with the Cohen's in Berkeley, and the rest with Julie in Orange County... and now her mother expected her to babysit with her older sister acting like a babbling 12 year old?

"YOU'RE ENGAGED?!"

"Uh oh," Kaitlin and Julie muttered in unison, quickly busying themselves.

**Please R&R Help me out here!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for all the comments so far, I thought that was a pretty good response for my first try so I'm going to get down to it and continue the story.**

"I can't believe no-one told me you were back today..." Marissa complained as her and Summer lounged on the sun beds by the pool. Summer smiled and pushed her sunglasses back through her thick dark hair.

"Coop, no-one knew. I wanted it to be a surprise," Summer chuckled "Instead; they gave me the biggest surprise ever!"

Marissa laughed.

The sun was beating down onto them, and the pair were enjoying a couple of hours of much needed rest and sun tanning time (not that Summer needed to get any darker), and the catch up felt great for the two best friends.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw you- I mean no contact in the past year! We used to barely survive if we didn't talk for a day never mind a year!" Marissa stated, remembering there days in high school, never wanting to be apart.

Summer joined in the laughter, and realised that it actually felt like they had never been apart. All the time she'd been travelling, protesting and studying, she'd never once forgotten her childhood friend, Marissa was someone she'd never forget. Her laughter died away.

"Marissa?" She mumbled soberly.

"Hm?" Marissa replied. There was a moment of silence, then Marissa turned to face Summer when she realised something was wrong.

"You don't hate me for leaving... you know, while you were in the coma?" Summer asked carefully not wanting to ruin the moment.

Marissa stayed quiet for several minutes, she hadn't thought of the crash since she'd left...and it most defiantly wasn't something she wanted brought up right now- but she had to face facts soon, and Summer was the only person she knew she could trust. She sighed, glancing at the engagement ring as it winked in the sun. She hadn't forgotten… but she'd made a point of not remembering… not even Pete understood her past, for him she'd made up a complete different version to the harsh reality she'd been brought up in.

"Coop?" Summer asked gently, realising she may have hurt her friend.

Marissa turned to face the sky, and slipped her sunglasses over her eyes so Summer couldn't see her tears. It was too hard to not be hurt, it was all her fault, something she could've prevented if she'd tried- how could she not hate herself for that.

"Sum... I'm sorry, I really want to tell you but I just can't describe it, it's like I choke when ever I try..." She stammered, trying to contain all her emotion that had been building up inside her for the past year. She just wanted to be held by… Pete, before she even could let herself think of Ryan she had to remember her own fiancé. But it was so hard… and she couldn't even explain to her best friend, how could, would, she ever explain it to him?

The sea and the cruise ship had been amazing, and even though the work was harder than anything Marissa was used to, or even imagined, it helped keep her mind off the accident. She'd had to be careful around her dad, every time she saw him it brought back memories... memories of his troubles four years ago, the same time she'd met Ryan...

She felt a hand on top of her's, as it lay on the deck chair arm- like Ryan while they were in the hospital and she had been allowed to visit him. Ryan, she thought, he'd always known what to do, when to hold her to make her feel safe. She had felt safe with him, even when he wasn't there he'd always protected her... But he was gone, and she'd never feel that safe again.

"NO!" Marissa screamed, jumping off the lounger, alarming Summer, who quickly recoiled her hand. Marissa was running away before Summer had any chance to shout or react. She was already racing across the tiles before Summer had even realised, but something she did know was that she wasn't the person Marissa was going to confide this time… and there was nothing she could do about it. She sighed helplessly, knowing that she couldn't help her friend, because no matter what she said... She wasn't Ryan.

"Oh, Cohen, where are you when I need you?" She whispered, letting her head fall into her hands, "I can't do this on my own!" Maybe a lot had changed in a year, but they were still best friends, and there had to be something she could do.

---

"Marissa, what's wrong-" Julie was cut off as her eldest daughter charged past her in the hallway and ran up the stairs. She listened for the door to slam, but even when it was closed she could still hear Marissa's sobbing.

"Bullet, I'm going to have to call you back..." She explained into the cordless reciever, not even giving her ex a chance to reply before ending the call and starting towards the stairs. She hesitated, not knowing what she should do... Jimmy, Marissa's father had always been so much better with Marissa than Julie, but she was her mother- and right now she was all her daughter had.

She slowly started up the stairs, her sandals barely making a noise on the smooth marble. She slid her hand up the banister, prepared in case Marissa decided to charge back down. She reached the top of the stairs, and heard Marissa's crying had stopping. Silence. Julie frowned. Was there any need to go and check on her now? She knew Marissa needed space, it was what the therapist had recommended, but how far could she go?

"Marissa?" She asked, through the closed door.

No reply.

Slowly she reached for the door knob. She twisted it, prepared to shut it again if anything came flying at her. Silence.

"Marissa?" She asked again, this time a little louder.

Slowly she pushed open the door. In front of her was Marissa, still in her bikini, sitting on the floor, staring at the photograph she had of her and Ryan together at Cotillion. It had been such a special moment for both of them... Julie could only imagine the pain Marissa was feeling as she stared blindly down at the photograph.

"Oh, honey!" Julie muttered, sitting next to her daughter, and wrapping her arms around her.

Tears fell silently down Marissa cheeks as she fell into her mother's arms as Julie gently rocked her.

"Ssh."

They sat like that for what seemed hours, but what could've only been a few minutes, because Kaitlin arrived outside the bedroom announcing Julie's car had arrived. Julie groaned she couldn't possibly leave with all this going on.

"Go on, Mom, you have fun," Marissa sniffed, quickly straightening up. She'd known about her mother's trip for a while, and knew that Julie had been looking forward to all the shopping and special dinners, no matter what she said, it was just who she was.

"You look amazing, go and show them what their missing in New York!" Julie smiled, but still hesitated before she walked towards the door. "I'll be back straight away if you call me," She stated, to her two daughters, who now stood side by side. She smiled with pride, and hesitantly walked into her bedroom to get her suitcase.


	3. Chapter 3

"Mum, Dad-" Seth called into the empty hallway, "Did no-one remember I was home today?" He grumbled as he dumped his bag on bare wood floor in the hallway and started towards the kitchen, ignoring all the baby photographs of his little sister and brother.

He heard a cry from the lounge.

As he rushed towards the lounge, his foot slipped on one of his little brother, Jack's, small toy cars. He slipped and landed with a crash in the lounge. His entrance was welcomed with a squeal of laughter, as Seth groaned as he sat up, rubbing his bruised head.

"Jack, how many times do I have to tell you?" Kirsten scolded the one year old who bounced on her knee as Sandy chuckled. "Don't leave your toys lying around for Seth to fall over!" In response to this, Jack threw his blanket at his older brother, who still sat on the floor.

"Urgh…" Seth groaned again, pulling himself to his feet, "I knew one Atwood was enough," He muttered, bending down to pick up the blanket and throwing it towards his mother. Kirsten caught it with a forced smile.

"Welcome home Seth," She smiled, tucking the pale blue blanket around Jack. Seth sighed, and sat beside his father on the couch.

"I almost forgot I had a son!" Sandy joked, lightly punching Seth's shoulder. Seth rolled his eyes.

"I thought you'd have your hands full with a god son," He muttered sarcastically," I wrote," He added, when he caught Sandy's disapproving frown "I have just been really busy."

Kirsten and Sandy glanced at each other, nodding knowingly. There was a moment of silence.

"So, any projects to show us?" Sandy asked, noting that Seth hadn't brought his bag into the lounge. Seth shrugged.

"Nothing exciting, a few new comic strips but my big projects are still there," He replied, referring to the art school his ex girlfriend, Anna, had got him into.

He didn't have any news, or interesting gossip to discuss with his parents… right now he just wanted to be back at university, he didn't even want to call Summer, even though he hadn't seen her in a year. Nothing felt the same anymore, maybe it would've been different if he was returning home to OC, but being here, in Berkeley… well, there was a reason he hadn't returned home every other holiday.

"Seth…?" He felt Sandy shake his shoulder.

"Huh? Oh erm…" Seth mumbled, knowing they'd realised he'd spaced.

"I was just saying Summer called a few hours ago, but we didn't know what time you got back so we said you'd call her back," He listened to Kirsten explain, who was looking concerned at her son's behaviour.

"Erm, oh right… I better… you know, go…" Seth muttered, quickly leaving the room when he caught his mother's expression.

At his quick exit from the room, Sandy started up to follow him.

"Leave him," Kirsten advised, watching her son's retreating back, "Just give him time."

Sandy hesitated.

"I don't like it… I don't like any of this…" Sandy muttered, slowly sitting back down.

"I know, neither do I… But the school said that he was okay there, so we've just got to help him move on…" Kirsten explained.

"Our son is happier when he's away from us, and we're supposed to help him…" Sandy grumbled, "Seth's getting more and more depressed- he doesn't even want to talk to his own girlfriend."

Kirsten looked up, "He's gone to call her now." She replied with a frown.

"How come the phone's down here then?" He stated, nodding towards the coffee table where the black cordless receiver lay.

Kirsten looked at the phone helplessly. She knew Seth was more likely to confide in Summer than his parents, even though they were very close, but if he wasn't even ready to do that what chance did they stand?

"He's in mourning…" She muttered, as if knowing that would solve everything.

"And if he was dressing in black and being quiet I'd be fine with that- But right now he's cutting himself off from the rest of the world, our world, and he's only happy at his art school," Sandy explained, "How far is he going to take this Kirsten?"

Kirsten went quiet, realising her husband was right. Seth had always been quiet but this was far more extreme then he'd been before. Before he'd been quiet in general, but now he was making an effort to cut himself from his parents and his younger brother… She brushed a hand through her long blonde hair in frustration.

"Ryan!" Jack squealed, sucking on his blanket. Sandy and Kirsten fell silent as they looked down at the one year old, who smiled goofily at them. Kirsten bit her lip as she gently pulled the blanket out of his mouth. He grabbed for it awkwardly, nearly falling off his god mother's knee.

"Whoa," Kirsten smiled, grabbing the youngster, but once she rightened him, her just scrambled off her lap anyway.

Sandy walked out of the lounge, but instead of following his son, he walked out into the nursery, where his daughter was playing quietly with her dolls. She looked up at him and smiled, her blonde curls framing her angelic face, and the sweet little pink dress Julie had brought her for her second birthday just added to the angelic image.

"Hiya daddy!" She smiled, holding out a blonde haired Barbie doll dressed in a pink ballerina's outfit, "Want to play? You can be Lindsey!" Sandy smiled, gently taking the doll.

"What's your dolly called?" He asked, sitting down on the floor and holding the doll arkwardly.

"Rose," She smiled, making her own doll jump into the small plastic swimming pool which was filled with water.

"After you?" He asked. She nodded, piling more dolls into the pool.

"Oops!" She smiled as the water splashed over the sides. Sandy chuckled as his daughter took one of the small towels that came with the Barbie's to wipe up the water.

"Is Seth home yet?" She asked, moving the dolls inside the pool, more carefully this time. Sandy smiled when he realised most of them still wore dresses.

Sandy nodded, "Yes, he just got back."

"How come he hasn't come to say hello yet?" She asked, almost sounding annoyed that her older brother had forgotten about her, but the small smile permanently on her face told otherwise.

"He's unpacking and very tired; do you want to go up and see him later?" Sandy asked, not sure how Seth would appreciate his sister coming to see him, the mood he was in at the minute.

Rose nodded, her curls bouncing into her face. She giggled as she pushed them behind her ear.

"I want to show him my picture," She replied, referring to the crayon drawing she'd drawn of her and Seth in the park; she'd spent the best part of a day on it, hoping he'd be pleased. Sandy nodded, mentally noting to catch Seth before hand and warn him to be happy, Rose was very proud of the picture and if Seth just threw it down she'd be destroyed.

"I'm sure he'll love it," Sandy smiled, rubbing her head. She giggled and pushed his hand away.

"Daddy!" She squealed, pushing his hand away. He chuckled, wishing his son would go back to being like that, the time before anything mattered.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far- it's a great response! Few matters brought up though- **

**Thank you to the reviewer who pointed out that the timings didn't match (how could Sophie Rose be two when she was born towards the end of season 4?), I hope you can bare with me on that matter- you'll also notice that if Summer had been away for the past year, she would have been away for the whole of season 4. As Marissa didn't die, season 4 wouldn't have happened the same…**

**I'll get to what happened with Ryan- I'm trying the suspense thing, as well as trying to get everyone's feelings out of the way before getting into the main part of the story.**

"Yes, I miss you too," Marissa muttered into the phone as Summer walked into the kitchen, "Yes, I can't wait till you come, I really want you to meet everyone too…" Summer noticed that Marissa was impatiently tapping her biro on the top of a notepad and wondered what Marissa's fiancé was like.

She opened the freezer door and pulled out a large tub of chocolate ice cream that was hidden at the back. Grabbing two spoons, she pushed the tub towards her friend, who smiled gratefully.

"Yes, I love you too, okay… Yes, I promise they'll love you too… Okay, bye…" Marissa finished the call, trying her best not to sigh thankfully. Instead she hastily pulled the lid off the tub and buried her spoon into the frozen goodness.

"Missing you is he?" Summer asked, sliding into the high stool next to Marissa, pushing Kaitlin's handbag out of her way and adjusting her loose top she'd put over her bikini before taking her own spoonful of ice cream.

Marissa shrugged as she placed the spoon in her mouth, hoping she wouldn't have to answer, concentrating on placing her wrap on her knees. Summer nodded with a knowing smile.

"Well, I miss him too…" Marissa added hastily, catching Summer's look.

"I didn't say you didn't," Summer stated, taking another spoonful, "Your marrying him, you must love him a lot."

Marissa rolled her eyes- Summer had made no secret of how much she disapproved of such a relationship so soon after the accident. She couldn't even imagine Marissa getting engaged to _anyone_ that quickly.

"He feels right," Marissa explained.

"Oh well, if he _feels_ right…" Summer smiled.

"Oh, Sum!" Marissa groaned after a few seconds, nudging her friend as she giggled, "Only you could turn that around!"

Summer shrugged, licking the chocolate ice cream off her lips.

"Are those his plane times?" Summer asked, nodding towards the notepad, still smiling.

Marissa nodded, closing the notepad.

"Yep, he arrives tomorrow…" Marissa sighed, pushing the notepad away.

Summer sighed, "And in a week you'll be the next Mrs Pete Crash…"

"Hey, I've already said you'll be maid of honour!" Marissa stated, failing at making it easing the tension.

"I don't like this Marissa- don't you think there's a reason he's already been divorced?" Summer asked carefully.

"Summer- I've explained that to you!" Marissa stated, a bit harsher that she meant it to sound, "I mean… the age difference doesn't matter, we'll be fine…"

Summer fell silent, stunned at Marissa's reaction. But, then again, if they were going to have an argument, she wanted her friend to face the facts-

"Have you invited Ryan yet?"

The whole room seemed to freeze with the tension, Marissa looking like she would flip if she was pushed any further. Tears filled behind her lashes, which she stubbornly rubbed away. Marissa had known Summer would send her on the guilt trip- just so she would know what she was getting into. But it didn't change things, didn't change how guilty, betrayed, Marissa felt.

She took a shaky breath.

"Anyway, how are you and Seth?" Marissa asked, glancing at Summer who quickly diverted her gaze. Finally, she was making Summer feel awkward, and it didn't make either of them feel any better.

"We're good… yer…" Summer muttered, suddenly very absorbed in Julie's magazine that lay on the counter.

"He's still not called back?" Marissa asked quietly.

Summer bit her lip, flipping through the magazine. Marissa fell silent too, eating more ice cream, but that seemed tasteless now… she hated fighting with Summer, her best and oldest friend, but she also knew her better than anyone else- and if her and Seth were having a fight than it must be serious.

"He's taking it hard…" Summer whispered. Marissa hesitated. "Everyone's taking it hard…"

"It's all my fault…" Marissa muttered.

"No, its Ryan's… if he hadn't just run off like that then…"

"He wouldn't have gone if I hadn't…" Marissa argued.

Summer looked away again. She knew Marissa was right, and there was no way she could save Marissa's feelings without lying to her, and that would be going to far.

"I'll try calling him again later," Summer stated quietly, even though she knew Seth wouldn't want to speak to her. Her two best friends were completely cutting her out… She'd loved Ryan too, but those two had depended on him and that's a loss even new Summer couldn't relate to.

Marissa nodded, even though she wasn't even listening anymore. She was lost in her own little world, a little world where the Core Four still existed.

"Hiya Summer, Marissa!" Kaitlin smiled as she walked into the kitchen dressed in her typical outfit of a short denim skirt that showed off her long tanned legs and a low cut blouse. She headed straight for the tub of ice cream that neither Summer nor Marissa were touching. "Oh, ice cream!" She muttered, grabbing her own spoon and digging in. She took a couple of scoops before stopping, noticing the silence. "Wow, you guys really are the life and soul of the party!" She muttered sarcastically.

Marissa looked up, as if her sister had just woken her from a trance.

"Oh hey Kaitlin…" She muttered.

"Oh, now you notice me!" Kaitlin grumbled, "You eating this? No, thanks," Kaitlin grabbed the tub and moved to the table in the centre of the kitchen. "Why are you guys so bummed anyway?" She asked, turning in her seat to face them.

Marissa shrugged.

"Wow, I've heard of cold feet before a wedding but come on Marissa!" Kaitlin stated, before sliding a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"It's not cold feet…" Marissa snapped, before walking out of kitchen quickly.

Summer sighed.

"Whats her problem?" Kaitlin asked, swallowing another mouthful of ice cream.

Summer shrugged, "Like she said- it's not cold feet…"

"Well, what's it called when you know your marrying the wrong guy and the right one is living on the opposite side of the world just so he doesn't have to face his problems?" Kaitlin asked with a raised eye brow.

Summer turned to the teenager, then back towards the kitchen door.

"Atwood…" She muttered, before walking out of the kitchen.

Kaitlin frowned, now left alone in the kitchen.

"Well… that's nice how we're too polite for 'how are you's'…" She grumbled before getting up and grabbing her cell phone which was in her Dolce and Gabbana handbag on the counter. "I am so not having this while mum's away!" She muttered, before slidding open the pink phone. She quickly dialled a number and put the phone to her ear.

"Taylor? Hi, it's Kaitlin, Atwood around?"


	5. Chapter 5

Summer sat cross legged on her bed, quietly flipping through her textbook

Summer sat cross legged on her bed, quietly flipping through her textbook. Ever since she'd been away with GEORGE she'd began to appreciate having time to herself- as well as finding herself not as interesting in celebrity gossip as she had been. She knew she'd changed since she'd been away, and she was glad that it hadn't affected her life here in Newport as much as she worried it would of, but that didn't make up for the other issues that were being raised- issues that neither the old Summer or the new Summer knew for certain how to handle. Marissa, Ryan, Seth… Had everyone changed since the accident? She suddenly felt out of place around her closest friend, and separated from her boyfriend…

"In 2005 more than 56 of…" Summer groaned, she couldn't study, even if it was about her charity work which had distracted her. Slamming the textbook shut, she sat in silence for a few moments, attempting to force herself not to think. It didn't work. Throwing herself across the bed she grabbed her Samsung mobile off her bedside drawer and pressed her speed dial.

"Hey, this is Seth, it's the 21st centaury- you know what to do…"

"Cohen, I need you here, why are you doing this? Your mum said you'd call…yesterday, but I've heard nothing. Seth, I need you now, I can't handle this on my own, and I don't think you can either… please, call me, just to let me know you're okay. You know my number, and you know where I live… please… I love you…"

She flipped the phone closed and threw it across the bed in anger. Almost as soon as it landed on her duvet, a shrill ringing came from it. She dived for it, not caring to look at the caller's id, instead she answered it with a hasty "Seth?"

"Err, no, sorry Summer, it's Taylor…" The other voice came through.

"Oh, Taylor…" Summer bit her lips, attempting to hide her disappointment. There were a few moments of silence, neither knowing how to continue.

"Summer, I know what's going on," Taylor rushed.

"Huh?" Summer mumbled, her thoughts distracting her.

"Summer, Kaitlin called me, I know Marissa's getting married…"

"Oh, okay…" Summer muttered, not sure where Taylor was leading with this.

"I've told Ryan."

Summer fell silent. She'd known Taylor was in touch with Ryan, but she didn't know what was happening between them- she hadn't heard from either of them in the past year. Suddenly memories of Taylor trying to steal Seth away from Summer resurfaced, but she quickly shook them away, even if Taylor and Ryan were together, Marissa and Ryan had split up before the accident so it didn't matter.

"Summer…?"

"Oh… right, so what did he say?" Summer forced herself to ask. Taylor was obviously getting at something, otherwise she wouldn't have called, but she was at a loss trying to figure out what Taylor wanted.

"Just congratulations, he's really happy she's found someone and he wants her to be happy…"

"Oh that's good then, is he okay?" 'And if he wanted to say that why didn't he call himself?' she added silently.

"Yes, we're both good actually…" Taylor added, hinting that they were together. Summer groaned silently, realising that Taylor was probably also hinting at an invitation to visit. "We're living in Japan, just a short term thing for the minute while Ryan's company sorts through some deals, contracts that type of thing. I'm at a loss with it all to be honest, but he loves his job and I love the travel so it's great!" She gave a short chuckle and then fell silent.

Summer ran her hand through her hair, trying to figure out what to say.

"Wow, that's great, really…" Summer mumbled, not really liking the conversation and where it was heading, "Well, Taylor, I have to go…And your phone bills probably going to be huge so I'll talk to you soon okay? Don't be a stranger."

"Of course not Summer, I'll be in touch soon!" Taylor shrilled, her voice expressing her happiness now. Summer found herself smiling shortly, before looking up and realising Marissa was standing in the open doorway. Summer bit her lip, Marissa's face was expressionless, Summer didn't know how much she'd heard…or how she felt about what she had heard.

Instead of saying anything though, Marissa just dropped her head and walked past Summer into her own bedroom and sitting on the side of her bed. Summer hesitated, before getting up and walking towards her friend, she hadn't shut the door so Summer figured she wouldn't be starting an argument if they talked.

"Coop?"

Marissa looked up and almost looked shocked to find her friend in the doorway. Summer frowned, it just showed how distracted how Marissa was. She sighed and sat next to her.

"So… You want to come shopping later?"

Marissa gave a small smile, not catching Summer's eye. Then she looked at her, and Summer almost felt like the last year hadn't happened and everything was okay.

"You know what Sum? I do need a new outfit," She stated. "So how about we go… now? Serious retail therapy, that's what I've been missing," She gave a short chuckle at Summer's amazed expression. "Come on," She stated, quickly getting off the bed.

Summer just looked on amazed, before standing up and following Marissa out of the house.


End file.
